Volume 1

;
420 PLEASANT PROSPECT FROM HAIR HILLS.
brow of the mountain and in full view of the plains of Red
river, which appear to the eastward below us ; here we
stopped for the night, near a small brook of clear water.
We had a delightful prospect ; the weather was clear
as far as the eye could reach, nothing offered to obstruct
the view ; it was one smooth, level plain, without the least
hillock or rising ground. Upon our right lay the wellwooded
Panbian river, about six leagues distant, whose
banks are well lined with wood, coming through the mountains
eastward from the Lacs des Placottes, and retaining
the woods until it joins Red river, receiving in its course
several small streams, and at last Tongue river, which is
nearly as large as itself. At our feet issued out of the
mountain two rivulets, whose banks retained their wood
for about three leagues in the plains, where the water then
spreads into a number of small streams, which run apart
through the meadow till they re-unite to form Plumb river,
whose tufts of wood we could scarcely discern. Upon our
left hand lay first the
Pinancewaywining, beyond which we
could see the blue wood of Riviere aux Islets de Bois;
they both issue out of the m.ountain, and retain their wood
for a considerable distance in the plains, when their waters
spread, and are lost in several large marshes and small
streams, which course through the meadows, and then
effect a junction by two forks, thus forming Riviere aux
Gratias, which, after running a few leagues, empties into
Red river. I have many times beheld these plains covered
with buffalo at all seasons of the year ;
now not one solitary
old bull enlivens the prospect. This summer's extraordinary
rain, having overflowed the low country, has caused
the buffalo to resort to the high lands southward. About
midnight I awoke in great pain, occasioned by a large
black insect having got into my ear. With some dififiiculty
I extricated it with the head of a pin, after which my ear
bled considerably, but I
Aug: i^tk.
felt no more pain.
At daybreak we were on horseback, directing
our course E. S. E. down the mountain and across the